I was 22 then, young and full of life and vinegar. Where has the time gone? What have I done since then? Not a comfortable thought.

Couldn't help but have that nostalgic and sentimental feeling, and quietly thank the Almighty that I am still kicking around, even though the kicks are lower and lower by the year-- and less and less powerful.

I remember that night of the Shodan test was the first time ever I had Sake. Tasted strange but so easy to go down. Woke up the next morning behind, yes, behind (I think) George's old couch at the front of the Columbus Ave dojo. It had to be John (Mattson) who pushed me behind the couch. Did you John? George wouldn't have done that. Right George? Anyone here remembers that old couch?

Speaking of Sake, all of us "old timers" with an old Mattson Academy certificates ought to get together for a drink, yes I will buy, to celebrate our longevity and whatever else there may be. How about the next Summer Camp?

Sometimes I believe that there just might be someone up there keeping an eye on me. Throughout my life I just sort of going blind and let whatever situation leads me. So far so good. If it was luck then I have more than my share of just plain luck. I have done more than my share of bad stuff but the Almighty seems to be forgiving me. The last 20+ years I have been trying to do the "right' things hopefully to right all the wrongs. I have a long way to go. 30 more years ought to do it.

Sorry to beat a dead horse. But, you will probably never realize what you have done. You will never know what you set in motion that helped so many people. You think you do, but you can't know about all of us who weren't training Uechi, but read your writings and they changed the course of our lives. I'm talking major changes, here, not little stuff. Or even remember visitors who walked up the stairs to your dojo and watched quietly as things not imagined took place before their very eyes. And although the expression wasn't born yet, all we could think was WTF?

I look at that pic of the certificate and I see history that humbles me. And I do not humble easily.

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